


Trinket(s) of my Affections

by KatiMae



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Human Michael, Human Ryan, Jack is basically a mother, M/M, Minor Swearing, Shy Gavin, Werewolf Ray, Witch Gavin, Witch Geoff, blame Michael
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-02
Updated: 2016-01-11
Packaged: 2018-05-04 11:03:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5331827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatiMae/pseuds/KatiMae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan had no idea why, since moving to this town, and into his new apartment complex, strange things have been happening.  Like the weird animal noises that come from that one couple's apartment sometimes at night.  Or how Geoff and that British kid are always speaking in hushed tones or tending to the building's huge garden.  Or why Ryan kept finding weird rocks and feathers and crystals in his pockets and around his apartment.  He has an entire shoe box full of them by now, and it's getting freaky.  Plus that British kid keeps staring at him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to Stone Brook Apartments.

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this prompt:  
> You’re always finding weird trinkets in your clothes, such as colorful feathers, smooth rocks, or peculiar miniature marble carvings and you don’t know where they’re coming from but they’re actually charms that I slip into your pockets.  
> Thanks for reading and enjoy!  
> \--Kati

Ryan had moved to the town of Lone Road, Texas on a whim. He’d had enough of large, crowded cities, and he found a decent job waiting for him there. Of course, Ryan knew he’d be staying in an apartment- he didn’t have the need for a large house, not to mention the resources- and Stone Brook Apartments was the one of the only complexes in town. Stone Brook really wasn’t much like any regular building he’d ever lived in. But it was beautiful, and had an amazing garden, not to mention that the space it offered was much larger than the one at the much more depressing complex in Lone Road.  
Ryan met Geoff Ramsey right off the bat, since he was the building supervisor and also lived on the same level as Ryan. Geoff was loud, funny, and kind, with a cartoon-style handlebar moustache and a lot of tattoos. Jack was next, and the ginger man’s caring nature quickly won Ryan over. Geoff explained the rules of the building to Ryan, most of them the usual things, like please don’t do laundry at an ungodly hour, because the pipes wake up residents. There were, however, a few strange ones, like the rule about something called a familiar, and how they were the keeper’s responsibility to keep an eye on.  
Besides that, Stone Brook seemed perfect, and Ryan was thrilled to have moved to such a cool place. Geoff and Jack helped him move all his furniture and most of the boxes before turning in for the night, Geoff promising to introduce the other attendants tomorrow. Ryan went to sleep late, after finally finishing all of his unpacking, and drifted off with positive expectations of his new neighbors.

Ryan woke up to find he had overslept, rushing to get dressed and eat before he had missed work. He raced out of his apartment and down the stairs, hurrying into his car and off to work. Ryan arrived on time, thanks to his speed, and was greeted warmly by practically everyone. All of his fellow workers seemed friendly, and he liked pretty much all of them, so work was a breeze.  
When he got back home he changed into a pair of jeans and removed his jacket, leaving him in a nice, but comfortable, shirt. He ran a hand through his hair, only to be interrupted by a knock on his door. Geoff smiled at him when he answered, his moustache lifting up slightly at the ends with the action.  
“Hey buddy, wanna come meet the others? They’re all in the Commons.” Ryan nodded his answer, closing his door carefully before following the older man.  
The ‘Commons’, which had been a part of Ryan’s official tour, was a large room connected to a smaller kitchen and a bathroom. The main room was huge, and consisted of a large dining table in half of the space and several couches in the other half. The couches were positioned around a large tv, which seemed to have countless consoles around it. Next to the tv was a large bookshelf filled with games, movies, and books. All in all it was like a dream come true for Ryan, and he could only hope that his neighbors weren’t going to be the type he would have to avoid.  
“Here we are!” Geoff announced, pushing the door open and grinning. “Alright assholes, is everyone here?”  
“Yep, I even got Michael to come out of hiding!” Ryan smiles at Jack’s happy reply, greeting the other man before turning his attention to the new people.  
Sitting on one of the couches was what seemed to be a couple, based on their cuddling. Of course, Ryan thought, they could just be friends. This theory was immediately disproved when the boy with black hair and bronze skin kissed his partner’s cheek, pulling the pouting and blushing ginger up from the couch with a sly smile.  
“Hey there, I’m Michael.” the red-head paused to push his friend forwards slightly, “is Ray.” Ray gave a mock salute, pressing his fingers to his temple and flicking them at Ryan.  
“I’m Ryan, nice to meet you.” Ryan was moving to shake Michael’s hand when someone jumped in front of the two, grinning at Ryan. “um?”  
“ ‘ello, I’m Gavin Free, nice to meet you!” The British accented man grabbed Ryan’s hand, shaking it and smiling still, his green eyes zeroed in on Ryan.  
“Ryan Haywood, nice to meet you too.” Ryan gave the Brit a confused look when Gavin suddenly turned his hand over and started poking at and tracing lines on Ryan’s palm. “uh, Gavin, what are you doing?”  
“Don’t worry Ryan,” Michael assures him, stepping forward to stand next to the two men, watching Gavin play with Ryan’s hand. “That’s just Gavvy, he wouldn’t hurt a fly, this is just what he does with new people.” Ryan raises an eyebrow, still not entirely sure what ‘this’ is.  
“Oh, wow, Ryan.” Gavin mutters, “you’ve got very nice hands…” he turns Ryan’s hand over in the two of his, smiling up at the man. “So-”  
“Gavin,” Geoff slides up beside the Brit, a stern look on his face. “Let’s not make Ryan uncomfortable in his new environment, alright?” A look of understanding and realization dawns on Gavin’s face and he sheepishly lets go of Ryan’s hand, instead fiddling with his own. “Sorry about that Ryan, Gav’s a bit…”  
“Unique in his greetings?” Ryan supplies, watching as the man in question heads over to play a game with Ray and Michael.  
“I was gonna say dumb as shit sometimes, but sure, yours works too.” They watch as Gavin lets out a squawk and a whiny ‘but Micoo’, the boy in question only laughing at Gav’s on-screen death. “So, yeah, those are the guys. All that’s left to say is… uh,”  
“Welcome to Stone Brook Apartments, Ryan.” Jack finishes for Geoff, the later smiling his thanks. “We hope you like it here.” 

That night, while he was getting undressed, Ryan felt a strange lump in his pocket. Pressing his hand in, he slowly pulled out the object, opening his hand to look at it. Sitting in his hand was a small, white stone, carved into some sort of weird figurine of a lion.  
“what the…” Ryan tries to think of where he could have possibly acquired the little carving, drawing a blank. He turns it over in his hands, admiring the detail, until he comes across a small engraving on the bottom of the statuette. There, on the bottom, carved into the hard white stone, are strange symbols that look like some mix between old norse and latin. Ryan furrows his brow before shrugging, he’d ask around tomorrow and see if it belonged to anyone in the building.  
Setting the lion on his bed-side table and turning off the light, Ryan cleared the carving from his thoughts and drifted off to sleep.


	2. So You Think Your Neighbor's A Satanist.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan really likes it here, he does, it's just... there's been strange noises at night recently... and he keeps finding strange little rocks and crystals and bags filled with dried flowers, and he's beginning to get worried. So finding Geoff stumbling into his and Jack's room carrying a bunch of round flasks, strange bottles, candles, and a huge old book.

Ryan never over-prided himself for being brave. But he really liked it here at Stone Brook, and in the past months he really would like to live here. But he’s pretty sure that Geoff is a satanist… or a meth dealer… cooker… something. Ryan wasn’t really too afraid when he heard loud noises last night, ones that sounded like a vicious dog or something. But when he caught Geoff walking into the apartment the mustachioed man shares with Jack, carrying all those bottles and that huge leather book…  
So yeah. Ryan’s pretty sure Geoff is up to something. And the flashing lights coming out from under the door, accompanied by loud chanting aren’t helping. A sudden thought worries Ryan and he gets up from his post outside Geoff’s door to check. He opens his bedroom door and pushes the covers of his bed up from the floor, pulling a shoe box out from under his bed. Ryan opens the box to find that it’s all still there. He scrounges around in the box, pushing around the bags of dried flowers and herbs, the tiny carved marble statues, the stones, the strange little bundles of feathers and string. When he finally finds what he’s looking for, he’s strangely relieved. The very first one he found, right after moving here. The tiny lion statue.  
The lion was most definitely his favorite trinket, of all the ones he’d found. It honestly worried him how attached he was to it. His lion had gone missing only once, and Ryan was somewhere between heartbroken and furious the entire time it was MIA. He’d been keeping it out on his bedside table, and always looked forward to seeing it there. Until that day, when Ryan returned home from work only to find that the Lion was missing. He’d spent hours tearing his entire house apart to look for it, a fruitless effort.  
He didn’t stop, looking over the whole house once more while he cleaned up. Right when he was about to give up hope, there was a knock on his door. Ryan opened the door to his apartment to find Gavin. The Brit had looked up at him a bit sheepishly before holding out his hand, opening the curled fingers to reveal the lion.  
“You found it.” Ryan was beside himself with relief, smiling down at Gavin, a weight lifted off of his shoulders. “I was looking for it everywhere…”  
“I found it in the laundry room while I was drying my clothes. Little guy must’ve gotten into your hamper somehow, Ryan.” Gavin was smiling at him now, a strange sort of light glowing in those bright green eyes. “I remember you’d asked about it when you first got here, so I figured I’d return ’im to you.” When their hands touched at the handing over of the figurine, Ryan noticed Gavin’s startled jump and significant blush.  
Ryan shook himself, popping out of the daze of memory he’d seemed to fall into. Glancing down at the small feline in his hands, Ryan’s face took on a look of determination.  
“Gav’ll know.” He nods to himself, stashed the box back under the bed, standing and placing the figurine into his pocket.  
Gavin’s apartment isn’t too far from Ryan’s, just down the stairs a floor and the door to the right. Ray and Michael lived in the place across from Gavin, on the left, and the two rooms above Ryan were still empty. Ryan was sure, while he knocked urgently on Gavin’s door, that the big-nosed Brit would hold the answers Ryan needed about Geoff. After all, Michael had told him that Geoff was practically a father to Gavin, that he’d taken Gavin under his wing while the kid was fresh out of England.  
Gavin answered after a minute, and he stared up at Ryan in confusion. The normally so calm older man was practically shaking, his eyes wide and his brow furrowed.  
“Ryan?” Gavin looked the Georgian up and down, “what’s wrong?” A million different scenarios ran through his head, his imagination providing too many things that could have upset Ryan. “Are you okay?”  
“There’s something wrong with Geoff.” Ryan was surprised by how calm his own voice was. Not a single bit of his anxiety over the situation had seeped in. He wasn’t sure if he was happy about this or not, but he definitely did not appreciate the worried, pleading tone in Gavin’s voice when he responded.  
“I’m sure Geoff is fine. Why don’t you come on in and sit down.” Ryan reluctantly followed Gavin into his home, grumbling about having his words so diminished. Gav waited until after they were both sitting down on his couch before speaking again. “Alright Rye-bread, Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong.”  
“It’s Geoff, I…” Ryan paused, not sure if he could trust Gavin. “I think he’s sacrificing animals to Satan in his apartment.” The look on Gavin’s face made him feel stupid. “I’m not lying I-” Gavin’s sudden laughing cut him off. Ryan stared at the Brit, dumbfounded.  
“No, silly Ryan.” Gavin straightened himself out, smiling. “Geoff would never do anything like that!”  
“But I heard howling, and a dog-” Gavin waves him off.  
“That’s just Ray, he’s harmless.” Gavin giggled again. “You thought Geoff was using black magic, hah!” he dissolves into laughter once more, leaving a very confused Ryan on his own.  
“Ray?” Ryan sputtered a bit, trying to wrap his head around Gavin’s words. “How could it possibly be Ray?!” He was suddenly angry, deciding that they were all working together to prank Ryan. How could he have thought any of that whole ‘magic’ thing was real? Was he really that stupid? No. They’d tricked him. They’d probably been the ones leaving those damn things all over his apartment too! “You ass, you’re in on this! You’re all pulling some stupid prank on me, aren’t you?”  
“Wot?” Gavin looked genuinely startled, and Ryan almost felt bad about causing it. “I don’t know what you’re on about Ry, I didn’t do anything.”  
“oh…” Ryan hung his head, blushing a bit at his outburst. “sorry Gav, it’s probably nothing.” He stood to leave, but was immediately yanked down to the couch. Ryan was pulled face-to-face with a guilty looking Gavin.  
“We… Ry, you’re gonna find out sooner or later… I suppose now’s good.” Ryan just furrowed his brow again, studying Gavin’s profile. “I said Geoff wouldn’t ever practice black magic, none of us would… but, well. He does practice magic. I do too. Ray’s able to shift, but that’s genetic. Michael’s like you. So’s Jack… but the rest of us… yeah.”  
“I…” Ryan’s mind was racing, and he could feel a headache coming on. “you…”  
“It’s okay Ryan, we aren’t evil or anything, we’re just practicing magic. We’re good people Ryan.”  
To say that Ryan was confused would be an understatement. Some rational part of his brain was telling him that there was no way this was true. But… Gavin looked so earnest when explaining it to him. And he’d been so nervous…  
Ryan was sure, for whatever crazy reason, that Gavin wouldn’t lie to him. The older man turned to his companion, a look of shocked worry clouding his features.  
“I…” Gavin bit his lip, turning to stare at the wall again, allowing Ryan a view of his profile once more. “I don’t… magic?” Ryan sputtered once more, emphasising the word magic, trying to convey his disbelief. “Gavin?”  
“Guess the cat’s really out of the bag now, huh?” The voice startles both of them, and they turn to find Ray and Michael standing in the doorway. Michael narrows his eyes at the still flabbergasted Ryan, crossing his arms over his chest. “Ray heard you yelling at Gavin.” Ryan hangs his head again. The redhead ignores him, turning his anger to the other man on the couch. “Gavin, we told you not to tell him, he’s safer not knowing! What the hell?!”  
“Whoops?”


	3. Well, Now I Have A Headache.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan's still baffled by magic, the boi love is strong, and Michael and Ray are two conniving little shits. But what else is new?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry about the wait. Here's a little gift to hold you over, I promise I'll try to have a longer chapter out soon!  
> -Kati

“I, I don’t…” Ryan winched at how he kept flubbing up his words, still trying to wrap his head around the whole situation. God, he knew he should’ve just let it be. Why the hell hadn’t he just let it be?   
“Now, Ryan, I know this is a lot to take in, okay?” Michael paused, huffing out a frustrated breath. “But, you, ah, you were going to find out eventually. And besides, it’s still us, right? The same people you’ve known, we’re your friends. Just because this moron,” at this he shot a glare at Gavin, “decided to be a fucking idiot, doesn’t mean you should hate us.”  
“Michael’s right Ryan. We’re still us. And we aren’t evil or anything.” Ray gave Ryan a pat on the back, seeming to jump-start Ryan’s thought process.   
Okay, so they were magic. Magic he could deal with. They were all nice, and apparently none of them were going to sacrifice Ryan to their dark lords and master… or something. He could do this. He- wait a minute.  
“So, you guys do spells and stuff?” Ryan’s looking up at Gavin now, narrowing his eyes at the Brit while Gav just sways there awkwardly.  
“Yes? I mean, Geoff an‘ I do, but-” Ryan doesn’t give him a chance to finish, jumping to his feet instead. Gavin lets out a startled squawk, watching the taller man pat through his pockets. “You okay there Ry?”  
“Gav,” Ryan finally finds the object of his desire, pulling it out and showing it to Gavin. “Did one of you make this?” He holds out the lion carefully, it’s intricately carved mane seeming to shift in some unseen wind. “Have one of you been leaving all of that weird stuff in my apartment?” Gavin’s eyes got wide, and he felt his palms turn sweaty.  
“W-wot?” Gavin faked a laugh, the obnoxious sound tearing out of his closed-up throat. “What weird stuff Ryan?” Michael, picking up on his boi’s distress, no doubt, shot Gavin a look. Gavin’s nerves nearly doubled. He knew that look. That was Michael’s ‘I know you did something and you’re gonna explain it all to me later, you idiot’ look. Great.  
“Like, little dried plants and shiny rocks and trinkets and shit.” Ryan seemed completely oblivious to how distressed Gavin seemed, and for once since meeting the man, Gavin was thankful for Ryan’s inability to pick up on the Brit’s feelings. “Was it you guys?”  
“Nah man,” Ray held up his hands in mock-surrender. “I’m just a werewolf, I don’t do that whole spell-claim-thing. I just turn into an animal every once in awhile.” Ryan nodded, pausing a moment to think about what was just said. Wow, yeah, he is so not ready for this magic crap.  
“Here, listen Ry.” Michael had grabbed the older man’s arm and started leading him out of Gavin’s apartment. “Why don’t you got rest. You’ve had a lot to take in, just got think it over.” Ryan nodded numbly, rubbing a hand over his face before leaving, Ray going back into his and Michael’s side of the hall.   
As soon as the door had closed behind Ryan, Michael turned of his witchy friend.  
“What the hell were you thinking?!” Michael’s voice was loud, and filled with enough anger to make Gavin actually flinch.   
“H-he was going to move out, and he was so worried, an’ Michael, Ryan thought Geoff was gonna kill an animal for satan or somethin’!” Michael’s anger flared up before quickly being replaced with sympathy for both of his friends. Poor Ryan just had his world turned around, sure, but Michael could only imagine if the man had been afraid Geoff was a murdering satanist for the rest of his time here. And Gavin was only trying to help, and he had be uncharacteristically gentle about the whole thing.  
“Fine. Just, next time, maybe next time try to warn us all before exposing a huge secret like that?” Gavin nods solemnly. “okay. Come here, boi.” Michael pulls his Brit in for a hug before giving him a rough-ish nuggie. A few minutes, some wrestling, and a whole lot of british squawking later, Michael and Gavin were sitting on the latter’s couch.   
“Thanks for helping with Ryan, by the way.” Gavin muttered it softly, hoping that maybe, just maybe Michael wouldn’t delve too deep into the whole conversation before Ryan’s departure.  
Then again, the Universe seemed to love screwing Gavin over today.  
“What was all that about Ry finding charms in his apartment?” Michael donned a look of faux innocence, his disguise shot through by the mischievous glint in his brown eyes. “You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would’ja Gavvy?”   
“No!” Gavin answered a bit too quick, and a bit too forcefully. His cheeks were heating up and his hands were starting to sweat again. Poor Gavin always was a terrible liar when it came to these sort of things.   
“Uhuh.” Michael grinned, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses. “You’ve been putting charms in his place, haven’t you?”   
And if Michael noticed the way Gavin was practically bursting at the seams with nerves and excitement, he didn’t mention it. Nor did he mention the way Gavin’s face lit up like a Christmas tree, with all the Brit’s blushing.   
“You sneaky little witch, you’ve been pulling magic moves on Ryan!” Because no, Michael didn’t mention those things… he teased about them. Relentlessly. “Aww, you’re blushing!” Gavin cringed. “You’ve totally got the hots for him, don’t you?”  
“N-no!” Michael just laughed a bit more, grinning, before an idea popped into his head.  
“You aren’t using love charms and shit though, right? That’s grey magic, Gav. You could-” Gavin cut him off with a violent shake of his head and a choked gasp.  
“Micoo, no!” Gavin’s eyes were wide and he seemed mortified “I’d never tempt using dark magic, never. You know that, boi!” After he’d calmed some, the blush returned. “I was just placing some protection and luck charms for ’im. Just to, y’know, make sure Ry was safe an’ stuff.” Gavin shrugged, futzing with his hands again, tracing the lines and patterns he knew nearly by heart.   
“Oh my god.” Michael tried to suppress his laugh, and his grin, but it was a wasted effort in the end. “That is so sappy and adorable, Gav, jesus. You’ve got it bad for him.”   
“I don’t like Ryan!” Gavin refused to acknowledge his deep blush, as well as the slight stuttering his heart went through at the thought of Ryan. Oh my god, Michael’s right.  
“Whatever, hey, I’ve got dibs on best man in your wedding.” Michael dodged Gavin’s attempt at hitting him with a throw-pillow, dancing away from the Brit and laughing. “Gavvy and Ryan, sittin’ in a tr-ugh!” Michael was stopped by a pillow hitting him square in the face, nearly knocking his glasses from their place on his freckled nose. Gavin’s yell of triumph was quickly belittled by Michael’s warcry. 

Ray welcomed a very tousled Michael home after about an hour of video games and teasing.   
“So, how’s that going?” Ray was of course referring to the Ryan-Gavin predicament. And his loyal shipment of it. Michael only smiled in response, kissing his boyfriend and sitting down on the couch.   
“We are so getting them together.” Ray laughed.  
“I was right?”  
“You were very, very right.”


	4. So, Magic?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray and Michael have officially dedicated the majority of their free time to playing matchmaker with Ryan and Gavin. Ryan, meanwhile, has been doing research in some of the dusty old books Gavin let him borrow, and has found some increasingly interesting entries explaining the trinkets he's been finding. And Gavin, of course, is as weird as always.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about the long wait! These last weeks have been hectic.  
> Happy New Year loves!  
> -Kati

Ryan had been surprisingly alright with the whole ‘your neighbors are the stuff of myth’ thing. He’d gotten past the point of feeling sick, and had moved into a sort of research phase. Ryan had been asking questions of Ray, mainly to find out if fact matched all of the fiction presented in movies and books. He’d been glad to know that Ray shifts into a large wolf, rather than a horrific man-wolf Hollywood monster. And when he had found that the movies had lied about silver and its effect on the lad, he’d been much less confused by the ring Ray always seemed to wear. Ryan had also learned that it was an anniversary gift from Michael, and that the older lad had a matching one.  
Ryan was even more interested in the dealings of his witchy neighbors. He had taken to lounging around the commons with one of Gavin’s old books, reading and taking brief notes in one of the huge notebooks he’d bought. He couldn’t seem to learn enough about this world he’d been introduced to, asking questions at almost the same caliber and frequency of Gavin’s hypotheticals. He started spending even more time than normal with the Brit, which was saying something, considering he hadn’t exactly been a stranger before.  
Michael and Ray were practically ecstatic about the change, and had started dropping as many hints as possible while in the company of either Ryan or Gavin. They made careful note of the way Ryan asked Gavin to explain parts of the borrowed tomes that they knew he understood. It wasn’t hard to tell that the Georgian man was focusing on Gavin more than the yellowed pages. Ray witnessed a very… intimate scene when he stumbled into the hallway outside of his and Michael’s apartment one day. 

Ray had only meant to go ask Geoff about a spell the mustachioed man had needed werewolf fur for, and instead he got to witness as Ryan lingered in Gavin’s doorway. The older man had lifted a hand, shifting the books into his other arm, and brushed it gently over Gavin’s cheek. Gavin merely leaned into the touch, his eyes locking with Ryan’s and that easy smile of his sealed on his lips.  
“So, um, I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Ryan’s voice was a dead giveaway for the uneasy smile on his face. Gavin only grinned wider at the man’s awkwardness.  
“Definitely Ry.” Gavin chuckles lightly, the sound breaking through the calm “I’m finally gonna beat you in halo, remember?” Ryan’s deeper laugh joining the other’s.  
“Of course, dear.” Ray smirks at Ryan’s slip-up and watches them, hardly able to keep from laughing. Ryan doesn’t notice his fumble until a moment later, turning bright red under Gavin’s gaze. The Brit only laughs again, this time it’s giggles that ring like bells through the hallway.  
“Ryan the sensitive guy,” Gav continues trying to catch his breath immediately after he manages to cough the phrase out. Ryan continues to blush and stutter out some kind of explanation.  
Ray decides to spare them both and makes a show of fully opening his door, giving the two lovebirds a loud hello.  
“Am I interrupting something?” They both blush in record time, Ryan looking practically mortified, and Ray snickers. “Whatever. See ya!” While he’s leaving, the werewolf catches a snippet of fond words. “dorks.”

While Ryan was completely mystified by all of his neighbors, one in particular held his focus. He spent hours researching the ways and practices of white witches, learning and copying down tidbits of information. The research just happened to be another way for him to get closer to the object of his begrudgingly admitted affections. Aside from their weekly game nights, which Geoff and Ray had named ‘Freewood Date-night’, a term that continued to bring a blush to Ryan’s cheeks each time he heard it, Ryan had taken up to asking Gavin questions about his craft. Half the time Ryan knew exactly what he was reading, and had already taken detailed notes on it, when he went to ask Gavin for help. And while he realized that this was selfish and petty of him, Ryan couldn’t help himself.  
The same way he couldn’t help but love the passion in the British man’s eyes when he talked about magic, or those annoyingly endearing questions he asked Ryan constantly. They always ended in a big debate, and some, like the damn coin-flip debate, got out of hand. But Ryan adored the way Gavin thought things out, his expressions while they argued, really just his voice in general. He loved Gavin’s sense of humor, and his funny squawking noises, and his eyes. His eyes seemed to always show his true feelings, and they were so bright sometimes, and so green, and when Gavin put those eyes on him it made his stomach flip, and his chest warm, and his cheeks blush.  
And when Ryan would lie in his bed at night, his insomnia not letting him sleep, again, he’d think of Gavin. Of his smile, and his questions, and his eye, and Ryan would be convinced that the green-eyed man was his soulmate. If those even exist, because he really never thought they did, but then he met Gavin. If anything, Ryan knows that he’s head-over-heals for the Brit, soulmate or no.

Another fascination of his, aside the ever-growing one for Gavin, was the strange box of trinkets. He’d found pictures for most of them, and descriptions for several more. A lot of them were luck charms, meant to bring happiness and good fortune to the recipient. Most of the bracelets and pendants were for protection, and he had started wearing them around his wrists and neck. He was certainly pleased to know that they were all white-magic and that none of them were able to cause any malcontent. He had yet to figure out the marble lion.  
The small figure was truly a mystery, and although Geoff had identified the language on the base, the witch refused to share the translation with him. Ryan had been about to got to Gavin, but decided against it. Maybe it was a witch thing.  
After countless hours of pouring over Gavin’s books, Ryan had found a rough translation for the strange letters. Studying the key, he was able to decipher the inscription on his lion.  
Now in my heart, For eternity, Marked by my Magick, This is my own love to be.  
Ryan’s reaction, of course, was completely warranted. Of course, he could have done without marching up to Geoff’s door and nearly banging it down. Jack answered the door, and Ryan probably shouldn’t have nearly given the gentle man a heart attack by barging in and shouting for Geoff to get his ass out there. And Geoff certainly could’ve had a better response than the one he gave.  
“So, guess you translated the bond totem, huh?”


	5. Crushes and Confessions and Cauldrons, Oh My!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New light is shed on the mysterious lion, and Ryan confronts the item of his affections. Meanwhile, Michael loses a bet.

Now in my heart, For eternity, Marked by my Magick, This is my own love to be.

“So, guess you translated the bond totem, huh?”

“The what?!” Ryan all but screams it. his head is spinning and his stomach is queasy and he honestly can’t seem to find a way to breath. “I-” An attempt at speaking dies in a strangled choking noise.  
“Don’t worry, It’s not mine. But.. well, it is something the two of you should talk about. When did he give it to you?” Geoff’s calm, easy tone soothed Ryan a bit. wait… he?  
“Who gave… I don’t...” Ryan struggled, trying to find the words to find out what this all means.  
“oh, ohh! Shit, he didn’t tell you… do you know who gave that to you? Ryan?” He shook his head, Geoff swearing when he did. “Dammit, that moron.” Geoff continues to mutter to himself before pulling out his phone and calling someone.  
Ryan just stared in awe as Geoff started yelling into the receiver the second whoever it was picked up. And then, in a flash, the phone was away again. They all waited in silence for the person on the phone to heed Geoff’s command of ‘get your ass up here, you fucking moron!’  
Jack, ever the host, kept trying to make Ryan more comfortable. Geoff, on the other hand, just stood there, fuming, with his arms crossed around his chest. He kept muttering to himself.  
When the door finally opened, Ryan was out of breath again. But this wasn’t the happy, nervous, in-love type of breathless that normally marked the other’s arrival. This was terrible, and frightened, and full of worry. Gavin.  
“You idiot!” Geoff was on him before Ryan could even begin to formulate words. “You know how important the bond totem is! How could you not tell him? How could you not tell him it was yours?!”  
“Geoff!” Gavin whines out the older man’s name, frantically gesturing to Ryan, who was still sitting on the couch, awe-struck.  
“Gav?” They both turned to see Ryan, standing now, clutching that damn lion and blushing. “What… What does this thing mean?” The Brit peers at his outstretched hand. At the totem.  
“I… um… bullocks,” Gavin sputtered, looking to his mentor for help. Geoff finally decides to take pity on his friend, stepping forward from behind Gavin.  
“It’s a Bond Totem. It’s used in a Bond ceremony, Which is this really old, European, witch Tradition. Kinda like marriage.” Geoff waits a moment, before explaining more. “The totem goes from a witch to the person he’s chosen to tie his soul to forever. It normally forms the attachment after the ceremony, when they each accept the bond and have their souls joined by an experienced witch.”  
“So… this means…” Ryan isn’t quite sure how to say it. He isn’t even sure how he feels about all of this. His heart is beating too fast, and he can feel that warm, tugging feeling he always has whenever Gavin is around. That need to be closer to him, to just touch him. That fuzziness he still gets in his stomach from hearing the Brit speak. And yet, he feels terrified, and his mind is conflicting between run away and run to. To him.  
“It means I chose you… and, I, I’m not sorry, for loving you, but… I really don’t want to hate each other.” Gavin seems to deflate on the last part, cringing, and Ryan notices that Geoff and Jack had left. They were alone. “S-so if you don’t… don’t want me, I’ll jus‘, I dunno, take it back, an‘ we can be friends still… please, at least let us be friends still.”  
“Gav…” Ryan could see how the other’s eyes were shining. He’s on the verge of tears, Ryan notices. “Oh, Gavin.” The witch gave a small whimper, and Ryan was on his feet and across the room in an instant. Wrapping his arms around the man he’d been in love with for weeks and pressing a kiss into his hair. “Gav, please don’t cry, dear”  
“Ry?” Gavin mumbled it, too confused to pull away yet. “Wot?”  
“I… I wish you’d told me sooner.” Ryan informs him, pulling back slightly to cup Gavin’s face in his hands. “Much, much sooner.”  
“Really?” Gavin’s finally free of confusion, his heart light and burning in his chest and his eyes alight with that familiar fire. That fire seems to burn Ryan up. “Do you really… I mean… about me?”  
“Sure do.” The answer is so similar to the one Ryan always says casually while gaming with the Brit, but Gavin can tell this one is different. Because Ryan’s voice isn’t as light and the tone isn’t derived of meaning. Instead, Ryan has his blue eyes focused on Gavin, and his voice is soft, and warm, and passionate. His voice is full of so many more words and meanings than that of the two simple words he said.  
“I… I thought you’d be cross.” Gavin sounds almost ashamed, and a tiny chuckle rumbles from Ryan’s chest, the vibrations traveling swiftly across Gavin’s nerve-endings.  
“I’m not Gav,” Ryan leans closer to the other, still holding his face, and smiles. “I feel the same, I have for a while actually… I’m glad you gave me the lion.” Ryan presses their foreheads together gently, watching Gavin’s eyes flutter closed. “Honored even.”  
Gavin felt the words as hot breath on his lips, his eyes finally opening. Ryan tilted his head a bit, so as not to bump teeth and noses, and pressed their lips together.  
The kiss itself was soft, gently reciprocated and barely deepened, but it was full of passion. Of long waits, burning hearts fluttering in chests, unending joy at the confessed feelings, and plenty of love. Finally, Gavin found the aching he’d had after months of waiting for a sign, of fear that his feelings weren’t returned, and of so much longing for this moment, for Ryan… He found that it all disappeared.  
Simply dissolving away like the night sky at dawn. He was free from the heartache, the fear, the very gravity keeping him on his feet. Gavin felt like he was flying through a burst of kaleidoscopic color. Endless love, that kiss. It felt like endless love. 

Ray snickered behind his hand, grinning at Michael’s red face. The human merely fumed at his boyfriend.  
“I can’t believe I lost. Asshole’s couldn’t’ve waited six more days!” Michael grumbled, Ray’s mirth only g`rowing.’  
“C’mon, pay up Jersey boy, I won.” Geoff held out his hand to collect, and Jack slapped his shoulder.  
“You bet on their relationship?!” The bearded man was appalled. But honestly, he shouldn’t be too surprised. This was Geoff after all.  
“Dammit.” Michael complied, handing a twenty over to the older man. Ray laughed again, pulling a still-angry Michael away.  
“I can’t believe you bet on it.” Jack scolds his roommate once more before heading after the couple, probably to the Rec room. Geoff laughed and ran after the trio, not ready to be left behind.

 

When Ryan pulled away he was blushing, his hands falling, one to Gavin’s neck and the other to his left hip. Gavin grinned, one of his stupid, too-wide, too-happy smiles.  
“I love you Gavin,” Ryan’s voice was deeper than before, and a bit thin from lack of breath. Gavin leant upwards a bit, pressing a quick kiss to Ryan’s red lips.  
“love you too.” He kept that smile on his face, Ryan wearing an almost identical one.  
“Love you so much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks much for reading! I hope to update next week, by Tuesday, but a family member is having surgery later today, so I may not have Chapter 6 up until Wednesday or Thursday.  
> -Kati


	6. Life Goes On.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan's moving out, and Michael has something huge weighing down on him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi y'all!  
> It's great to see so many people taking a liking to this story, which is one of the reasons I'm sorry to say that it's over. This will be the final chapter of Trinket(s) of my Affections. I am going to be starting a new story, and that should have the first chapter released by Saturday.   
> There may be a sequel to work, or a companion. Only time will tell.   
> Thanks so much for all of your support,  
> -Kati

Ryan decided to move out of his apartment four months later. He’d loved every moment of the fifteen months he spent there, he honestly did. But it was his time to leave all of that behind. So he packed up all of his belongings one Saturday afternoon and the guys all came over to help him move his stuff.  
Michael showed off his strength, getting a bit too competitive and almost falling down the stairwell when he tried to take three boxes at once. Ray “helped organize”, which was his code for sitting on a box of books and playing his DS until Jack scolded him. Geoff accidentally set a box of cookware on fire when he mispronounced a spell. And Gavin… well.  
Gavin was nearly crying the whole time, being scolded by Geoff or Michael every once in awhile for overreacting. He wasn’t exactly helpful, mainly clinging to Ryan and sniffling. After all, it wasn’t like Ryan was moving back to Georgia.  
The whole ordeal lasted much longer than it should have, considering that there wasn’t really that much to move in the first place. Through the whole thing, Ryan couldn’t help but feel a bit downtrodden. After all, he had loved this place. And he was really going to miss being just across the hall from Geoff and Jack. But this move was going to be good for him, and he couldn’t turn back now, not after settling all of the paperwork with the building manager, Burnie.  
That night, after everything was taken care of, Ryan sat down in his new apartment and smiled. He’d been meaning to do this for quite a bit, after all. This move was going to be great for him, even if he’d be a bit further from his friends.

“Hey, d’you mind if we just stay in tonight, love?” Gavin asked from his- their- kitchen.  
“Not at all. I think Geoff wanted us to all got out and party in the rec room tomorrow, anyways. It’ll be nice to just settle in tonight.” He finished his trek to the kitchen, coming up behind his boyfriend to hug him. “Besides,” Ryan leaned down to kiss Gav’s neck. “I think we should celebrate, just the two of us.”  
Gavin let out a tiny laugh, simultaneously twisting around to pull Ryan in for another kiss. “I’m so glad you moved in, Ry.”

 

Michael turned to Ray on their couch, pausing the game. His boyfriend glanced up at him, brown eyes practically glowing in the light of the setting sun.  
“H-hey,” he started, moving closer. “Tonight’s a full moon, isn’t it?” Michael nearly yelled at himself for the shakiness of his voice, frustrated. He’d been trying to do this for weeks now, only to chicken out every time. It was ridiculous!  
“Nah, it’s tomorrow.” Ray squinted his eyes at Michael. “Why?”  
“N-no reason, I…” He felt himself choke up, his mouth suddenly unable to form words. Dammit. “I just…” Michael sighed and then took a deep breath. “I-”  
“Michael? Are you okay?” Ray had dropped his controller now, focusing only on his boyfriend. “I can smell your fear, ya know.”  
“Well,” Michael gulped. This was it. “I just, I want you to be with me, forever. And I know that you always worry about hurting me when you change, and that you make me leave, or you lock yourself up, but…” Michael reached out to grab Ray’s hand, watching the other’s eyes move rapidly between their intertwined fingers and Michael’s face.  
“I want you to stop doing that, ’cause it’s bullshit, Ray. I know you, and I know you’d never hurt me, or anyone. Ray, you mean more to me than anything, and I…” His other hand went to his sweat shirt’s pocket, pulling out a little black box, biting his lower lip. “And I want you to stop being afraid for me. Because I fucking love you, and nothing’s gonna change that. So, Ray Narvaez Jr.,” Michael popped open the box, revealing a silver ring  
“will you marry me?”  
“oh my god.” Ray’s eyes had gone wide, and he just sat there, clenching Michael’s hand a bit too tight and staring at the man who’d just asked Ray to marry him. “oh my god, Michael…” The jersey boy took this as a bad sign, his heart plummeting.  
“Fuck, I’m sorry.” Michael expected to feel angry, but it was like he was just drained of all his rage. The only emotion he seemed to be able to feel was hopelessness. “I’m so sorry, please don’t hate-”  
“Michael, of course!” And just like that, Ray’s arms were around his neck and someone was nuzzling at his jaw. “Of course, yes, oh my god.”  
It took him a minute to realize what the werewolf who was now practically in his lap had said. Yes. Jesus fucking Christ, Ray said yes!  
“I love you so much,” Michael started crying- although later he’d swear it was all in Ray’s head, and that he’d been very manly, and definitely had not shed a single tear. “so fucking much, Ray.”  
“I love you too, Michael.” 

 

The next day, they all gathered in the Rec room to celebrate. Geoff cooked, and Ryan brought enchiladas, and Ray showed off his new ring every chance he got. Gavin nearly killed Michael while congratulating his boi, which led to more scolding from Jack.  
Jack also announced that he was moving out of the place he shared with Geoff, and into one of the other apartments in the building. Geoff had met a fiery little familiar named Griffon, with tattoos to rival his and a love for chainsaw art. Apparently, he was going to ask her to move in soon.  
Ray recounted the story of their engagement several times in the next few weeks, to Jack, of course. And later to Griffon, who Geoff had invited. He even told Barbara, the blond girl from Ryan’s work who told just the worst puns, and her purple haired girlfriend, Meg.  
Ryan and Gavin were attached nearly the entire night, constantly touching and sharing little kisses. The Brit was as strange as ever, and was caught tucking a tiny stone talisman into Ryan’s shirt pocket. Michael compared him to a cat the rest of the night, saying that the charms Gavin left were like dead birds and mice.  
“They’re his way of showing affection!” Michael had cackled.  
“But Micool!” Gavin whined, looking up at Ryan, who was studying the charm. “defend me, Ryebread!”  
“Actually, a surprising amount of them are made of feathers…” The others all laughed while Ryan suppressed a smirk at the squawking noise his boyfriend then made.  
“You’re all right mongs.” Gavin pouted. “The whole lot of you.”  
“Aw, there there Gav, I think it’s cute.” Ryan pressed a kiss to the witch’s blushing cheek. “Really, it’s very sweet of you.”  
“Yeah, yeah.” Gavin cuddled further into his side, resting his head on Ryan’s chest. “Love you, Ry.” he mumbled, pressing a kiss to the other’s collarbone.  
“I love you too, Gavin.”


End file.
